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Al-Qaeda HQ 'based in Pakistan'
BBC News ^ | Monday, 2 October 2006 | BBC Staff

Posted on 10/02/2006 5:24:11 AM PDT by fanfan

A letter found when al-Qaeda's chief in Iraq was killed said the group's leadership was based in Waziristan, Pakistan, the Washington Post reports.

The December 2005 missive is said to be the first to emerge from what the US military calls a "treasure trove" after Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's death in June.

It was reportedly sent by a member of Osama Bin Laden's high command, who said he wrote from Waziristan.

Bin Laden is suspected of hiding along the Afghan-Pakistani border.

If accurate, the letter would confirm the location of the al-Qaeda leadership at the time it was written, the newspaper said.

'Wish to advise'

The missive was uncovered from Iraqi safe houses at the time of Zarqawi's death in a US air strike, according to the Washington Post.

A 15-page English translation of the Arabic document was released last week by a US military counter-terrorism centre, the paper reported.

I am with them and they have some comments about some of your circumstances "Atiyah"

The author said he was writing from al-Qaeda headquarters in the restive border region, where Taleban and al-Qaeda fugitives have been active.

The paper said the letter was signed by "Atiyah," whom counter-terrorism officials believe is Atiyah Abd al Rahman, a 37-year-old Libyan who joined Bin Laden during the 1980s.

"I am with them," the letter says.

"And they have some comments about some of your circumstances."

The letter described the difficulty of direct communications between Waziristan and Iraq, and suggested it was easier for Zarqawi to send a representative to Pakistan than the other way around, the Washington Post reported.

It also warned Zarqawi that he risked removal as the leader in Iraq if he continued to alienate Sunni leaders and rival insurgent groups, the paper said.

The "brothers wish that they had a way to talk to you and advise you, and to guide and instruct you; however, they too are occupied with vicious enemies here," Atiyah reportedly wrote.

"They are also weak. And we ask God that He strengthen them and mend their fractures."

Counter-terrorism officials reportedly deemed the document authentic.

'Laughing hijackers'

The report comes a day after the release of a video purportedly showing the ringleader of the 9/11 attacks.

British newspaper the Sunday Times posted the video, which has no sound, on its website.

Dated January 2000, it shows ringleader Mohammed Atta and fellow hijacker Ziad Jarrah talking and laughing, and speaking to the camera.

The Sunday Times said the video was made in Afghanistan for release after their deaths.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Government; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: pakistan; waziristan
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1 posted on 10/02/2006 5:24:12 AM PDT by fanfan
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To: fanfan

But,But that Brave man of change,General Pervez Musharraf has said that all those Al-Qaeda folks are in Afghanisation.


2 posted on 10/02/2006 5:25:45 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
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To: jveritas; sono; RasterMaster

ping


3 posted on 10/02/2006 5:26:09 AM PDT by AliVeritas (The road to hell is paved with bishops - St. Athanasis)
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To: sukhoi-30mki

He said he doesn't know where they are.


4 posted on 10/02/2006 5:29:14 AM PDT by Dog Gone
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To: Dog Gone

Is that the only thing he's said????


5 posted on 10/02/2006 5:32:21 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
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To: fanfan

Sounds like the best evidence we have seen that Bin Laden is in Waziristan.

The release of the tape now, without sound, could be that "go sign." Bib laden likes to use go signs like "When you see the hero Atta, be ready to strike."


6 posted on 10/02/2006 5:35:52 AM PDT by JustDoItAlways
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To: sukhoi-30mki
But,But that Brave man of change,General Pervez Musharraf has said that all those Al-Qaeda folks are in Afghanisation.

Say what you want about Musharraf, but he's a brave guy.

He's sitting on a country of 165 million people, more than half the population of the United States. In fact, it's more populous than Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and all the gulf emirates combined. To make matters better, the vast majority are fundamentalist Muslims.

He's and his ruling circle are the only thing between that country, and nuclear weapons in the hands of men sympathetic to al-Qa'ida.

7 posted on 10/02/2006 5:37:35 AM PDT by Steel Wolf (As Ibn Warraq said, "There are moderate Muslims but there is no moderate Islam.")
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To: Steel Wolf

His ruling circle is the main reason why his country got radicalised in the 70s.


8 posted on 10/02/2006 5:38:39 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
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To: Steel Wolf

Oh yes,did I forget to mention that Musharraf backed an alliance of radical Muslim parties in the 2002 parliamentary elections-the Muthahida Majlis E Amal(MMA) to weaken the mainstream political parties????


If Pakistan were as fundamentalist as you say,why did he do so????????????????


9 posted on 10/02/2006 5:41:30 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
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To: fanfan

We have been fighting in Waziristan area for several yrs and we know that alQaeda is there. This isn't news.
Go to this link and see a sat pic (from 2004) of what's described as an al qaeda hideout.

http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/06/18/pakistan.tribal/


10 posted on 10/02/2006 5:44:27 AM PDT by nuconvert ([there's a lot of bad people in the pistachio business] (...and his head is so tiny...))
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To: nuconvert

Thanks for that link.


11 posted on 10/02/2006 5:46:28 AM PDT by fanfan ("We don't start fights my friends, but we finish them, and never leave until our work is done."PMSH)
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To: AdmSmith; Dog; jeffers

"A letter found when al-Qaeda's chief in Iraq was killed ...The December 2005 missive is said to be the first to emerge from what the US military calls a "treasure trove" after Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's death in June."

"A 15-page English translation of the Arabic document was released last week by a US military counter-terrorism centre, the paper reported."


12 posted on 10/02/2006 5:48:46 AM PDT by nuconvert ([there's a lot of bad people in the pistachio business] (...and his head is so tiny...))
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To: fanfan

Here's another link....

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1137369/posts


13 posted on 10/02/2006 5:51:02 AM PDT by nuconvert ([there's a lot of bad people in the pistachio business] (...and his head is so tiny...))
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To: sukhoi-30mki
Oh yes,did I forget to mention that Musharraf backed an alliance of radical Muslim parties in the 2002 parliamentary elections-the Muthahida Majlis E Amal(MMA) to weaken the mainstream political parties????

Probably for the same reason that the alcohol drinking, skirt chasing Saudi princes cut seven figure checks to firebreathing Wahabbi imams. They're better to have as hired friends than as free enemies.

14 posted on 10/02/2006 5:52:07 AM PDT by Steel Wolf (As Ibn Warraq said, "There are moderate Muslims but there is no moderate Islam.")
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To: nuconvert

Thank you.


15 posted on 10/02/2006 5:58:12 AM PDT by fanfan ("We don't start fights my friends, but we finish them, and never leave until our work is done."PMSH)
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To: Steel Wolf
So why aren't you singing paeans of praise for the Saudis??
16 posted on 10/02/2006 6:14:06 AM PDT by razoroccam (Then in the name of Allah, they will let loose the Germs of War (http://www.booksurge.com))
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To: JustDoItAlways

17 posted on 10/02/2006 6:19:10 AM PDT by ASA Vet (3.03)
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To: razoroccam

Bush does it enough for all Republicans already.


18 posted on 10/02/2006 6:20:39 AM PDT by Iwentsouth
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To: razoroccam
So why aren't you singing paeans of praise for the Saudis??

I'll say for the Saudi princes the same thing I say about Musharraf. They're sitting on a powderkeg of fanatics, and doing the politically expedient things necessary to keep them out of power.

Do I like the fact that they use some of that money to fund Wahabbi nutjobs, who turn around and cause us trouble? No. Do I like the fact that the Wahabbi nutjobs aren't actually running Saudi Arabia, and funneling billions of dollars straight into the global jihad. Yes. That's about all the paean I can muster, and even that was paeanful.

19 posted on 10/02/2006 6:21:25 AM PDT by Steel Wolf (As Ibn Warraq said, "There are moderate Muslims but there is no moderate Islam.")
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To: AliVeritas

Add Pakistan to the Axis.


20 posted on 10/02/2006 6:36:52 AM PDT by sono ("Islam’s borders are bloody and so are its innards." Samuel Huntington)
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